Haesung smiled so brightly that even Wootae was surprised.
“He knew how to smile like that?”
Not just surprised—bewildered, even.
For a moment, Dohyeong, who had stopped in his tracks, ended up bursting into laughter out loud.
It’s all showing, you fool. Swallowing the words he couldn’t convey inside.
The two people slowly walked and arrived at the area where Seonghyeok and Haesung were.
“Thank you for your hard work today.”
Usually when Wootae greeted like this, Haesung would just nod. Or leave a short greeting saying he worked hard.
“Manager Ji, you also worked hard. I heard you had a good time last night, I’ll ask for your help often next time too.”
However, today he even added words that were unclear whether they were jokes or sincere.
Unlike the frozen Wootae, Dohyeong smiled and approached Haesung closely.
And he slightly turned his head to look around. Hidden by the car, it probably wouldn’t be visible from the filming location.
Whether Haesung had the same thought as Dohyeong, or whether he had no thoughts at all.
“You worked hard.”
He firmly grabbed Dohyeong’s hand. His long fingers passed over the back of his hand and reached his wrist, leisurely lingering over it.
“You were good today.”
“My acting?”
“Well. That too.”
At Haesung’s answer, Wootae and Seonghyeok jumped in surprise and urgently moved their steps. As if consulting about something, blocking the two people’s front while quietly whispering.
“I think he ate something behind our backs yesterday. He’s been grinning all day.”
“Dohyeong too. I think he ate something wrong.”
Haa, Haesung, who let out a long sigh, slightly turned his head to the side and glanced at the two people.
“I can hear everything.”
Even after bluntly spitting out those words, he laughed it off as if nothing happened.
This appearance of Haesung was a first for Dohyeong too, so he unknowingly widened his eyes.
“Going home?”
At the following question, he nodded.
“Yes. I have a commercial shoot tomorrow.”
“That’s good. What is it?”
“Milk.”
“…You, you can’t drink milk, right?”
Just knowing one of the many things about him.
Why does his heart swell so much and flutter, he doesn’t know.
“Yeah. They said they’ll prepare lactose-free.”
“…Will you be okay?”
If he said just the gentle voice alone was enough to make him happy.
Right, Kim Dohyeong has a long way to go before coming to his senses.
“I’m okay. Just in case, I’m bringing medicine too.”
“Don’t overdo it too much.”
Without hiding his worry, Haesung grabbed Dohyeong’s hand more tightly.
Because he knew it was time to part. He could see actors and staff who left the filming location gradually approaching the parking lot.
Haesung, with a regretful expression, seemed to let go of his hand, then grabbed it tightly again and pulled him slightly toward himself.
“Today.”
At the whispered words, the startled Dohyeong slightly rolled his eyes to look at Haesung.
“I’ll go to your house.”
The low voice was small enough that only Dohyeong could hear.
If Wootae and Seonghyeok heard it, it would be a story that would cause chaos, so that’s understandable.
But whispering this close is cheating.
It was a tingling stimulus to the point his spine prickled. A heat that kept making him recall last night wrapped around his whole body.
“Let’s go home carefully. You worked hard today.”
Haesung let go of his hand while pretending to leave a monotonous greeting as usual.
And he winked one eye at Dohyeong.
“Let’s go. Manager Do.”
Seonghyeok exchanged greetings with Wootae and tapped Dohyeong’s shoulder a couple of times.
“Good for you. You two.”
Even though it was nothing special, the area around his neck rose warmly.
The words “good for you”—really words that are nothing, but could he be this moved?
Dohyeong, who held his breath tightly, smiled and turned around. Wootae was still looking at Haesung’s van while clicking his tongue.
“I really wonder if that’s the Jung Haesung I know.”
Dohyeong, who laughed out loud, put his arm around Wootae’s shoulder and leaned his face against it.
“Me too.”
“Right. If even you feel that way, how much more would I?”
Dohyeong, who was giggling, took a big breath in. Exhaling through his mouth the refreshing air filling his lungs, he slowly moved his mouth.
“You know, hyung.”
“Yeah. Why.”
“They say people have moments they must inevitably go through. Whether it’s reaching the very top, or rolling down below and not being able to get up.”
Wootae slightly turned his head to look at Dohyeong. Quietly observing his head, he put strength into his crossed arms.
“I think for me, the past few years were those inevitable things.”
I thought he might say something like this.
But actually hearing it, somehow one corner of his heart fills up warmly, then turns into pride toward Dohyeong.
Hmm, Wootae, who cleared his throat briefly, nodded. He didn’t say anything. No, he couldn’t.
Because he couldn’t dare judge someone’s difficult period and crisis.
“After enduring that time, I think the happiness I couldn’t enjoy during that time is coming to me. I think that. It feels like I’m going back to my place.”
Even so. He tried to throw out a word but soon closed his mouth.
“But I won’t lose myself. I don’t want to repeat like last time.”
Because it seemed Dohyeong realized it himself.
Really, funny guy. A guy who never caused trouble caused trouble, and now he knows how to make him choke up with admirable words.
“Kim Dohyeong has grown a lot.”
That’s why he grumbles for no reason. Wootae, who had been looking at the mountain ridge visible in the distance for a while, patted Dohyeong’s back.
“Enough with the sentimentality, let’s go quickly. That way you can rest well and go to tomorrow’s shoot.”
Dohyeong nodded and got in the car.
Really, he came a long way around. As soon as he had that thought, this local filming felt meaningful.
Jung Haesung. While repeating the name, he turned on his phone screen and tapped the keyboard.
After wandering above the message send button for a while, he shyly smiled and lightly touched the button.
**Jung Haesung**
See you later, Haesung hyung
***
They simply realized each other’s feelings and held hands.
For Dohyeong, these past few days were happier than any day that had passed.
Haesung sent messages to Dohyeong from time to time.
When they were apart, when they were spending their respective schedules, even the moment they returned home.
Like now, on days when they filmed together, it was the same even when one of them finished first.
**Jung Haesung**
Waiting room?
Not long after Dohyeong left the set, a hurried message came from Haesung.
At the arrived message, Dohyeong couldn’t hide the smile spreading on his lips.
**Jung Haesung**
Yes
I just finished preparing and came in
I’ll be right there
It was to the point he wondered if a person could change this much.
Of course, being happy was true. Because he thought he would never receive this kind of attention.
However, one thing he worried about. The fact that after excessive happiness, great misfortune always struck.
It was a process learned from experience, repeated for quite a long time.
“No.”
However, thoughts always eat away at a person.
Dohyeong quickly shook his head.
Misfortune doesn’t come without warning, and even if it does, if the happiness is greater, it will be okay.
He just needs to enjoy the happiness. He pulled himself together to become a strong person who can overcome any hardship.
**Jung Haesung**
Preparation is taking long today
At the returning message, he smiled again while pressing his lips tightly.
He was about to write a reply, but for a moment raised his head and looked at himself in the mirror.
And he recalled Haesung’s appearance.
Jet-black hair, a sharp impression that seemed difficult to approach. A high nose bridge and lips that looked somewhat stiff.
And the heavy oud wood scent wafting from him.
“Hyung’s scent is nice…”
The moment he quietly closed his eyes.
The oud wood scent of Haesung from beyond his memory rushed thickly into his nose.
No, such an illusion occurred.
His broad embrace and firm arms. Even the soft lips that touched and separated, leaving warmth.
As soon as he dragged the past moment into reality, his spine shivered.
“Huh?”
And at the same time, heat rose throughout his body.
This sensation that seemed like it would burst with just a touch.
‘No way.’
He got up from his seat to contact Wootae. The pants were quite tight, so he couldn’t take out his phone while sitting.
He took out the phone from his pocket with trembling hands.
But despite such efforts, his body that the heat cycle came to didn’t move according to Dohyeong’s will.
His hand without strength dropped the phone as it was.
“Wootae, Wootae hyung.”
Dohyeong also lost strength in his legs and collapsed.
He knew it was the heat cycle period.
However, the timing was too early. Recent schedules were arranged for Dohyeong.
That’s why next week’s schedule was empty.
“A little, just a little. Just a little more.”
Dohyeong picked up the phone with trembling hands.
When he was trying hard to move his fingers to write something.
“Dohyeong-ah, are you done preparing?”
A familiar voice was heard, the door opened, and Yuchan’s figure was visible.
Dohyeong was crouched on the floor, trembling all over.
His two arms that tightly embraced his body stiffened rigidly.
“Dohyeong, ah.”
The flustered Yuchan blocked his mouth and nose with one hand.
The pheromones of an omega facing a heat cycle were a more tremendous stimulus than expected.
Even if he chewed on the tip of his tongue to come to his senses, the pheromones continued to tempt Yuchan.
The appearance crouched on the floor trembling.
The pheromones endlessly emitted as if seducing him.
The bright red eyes that made him want to make him cry right away.
It was dangerous. His instinct as an alpha was creeping up.
Yuchan, who tightly gripped the doorknob, quickly turned his head.
“Wa-wait. I’m sorry.”
Bang! Yuchan, who closed the door hard, dry-washed his face with both hands.
He collapsed on the spot, panting rough breaths and chewing his lower lip several times.
“First, first….”
His head wasn’t working.
Not only did Dohyeong’s pheromones seep into his nose, but he felt like they invaded his head too.
After pushing clean air into his lungs with inhales and exhales for a while, he got up from his spot.
“People. I need to call people.”
Finally, he reached a conclusion.
Right now, this situation couldn’t be resolved by him doing something.
He had to bring a beta who wasn’t affected by pheromones to get Dohyeong out of here.
Because he wasn’t the only alpha at the filming location.
Yuchan urgently got up from his spot. And with staggering steps, he left in front of Dohyeong’s waiting room.
***
**Dodaengdaeng**
Dohyeong-ah
Did you fall asleep?
Haesung stared down at the phone he was holding in his hand.
“Haesung-ssi. Can you lift your face?”
“…This is strange.”
No matter how he thought about it, it was strange.
“Haesung-ssi. I need to finish your eyes.”
“Why isn’t he looking?”
Normally, he would reply right away.
Already several minutes had passed without a reply.
It’s not like additional filming was scheduled either.
“Haesung-ssi.”
At Manager Min’s sunken call, Haesung finally raised his head.
“Are they rehearsing outside now?”
Manager Min glanced at Haesung, then looked outside the door.
And she shook her head toward him.
“No, I don’t think so?”
Following that, Haesung frowned.
It seemed faster to finish the makeup quickly and go to Dohyeong.
Manager Min finished Haesung’s eye makeup as he looked forward without complaint.
“Are you done?”
“Yeah. I’m done but—”
It seemed Manager Min’s words would continue, but Haesung couldn’t wait and jumped up from his seat.
“Thank you for your hard work.”
And like a person with urgent business, he left only a thank you and quickly left the makeup room.
Looking at his phone several times, he chewed on his lips.
If he did this, the carefully set hair or makeup could be ruined, but he couldn’t hide his anxious heart.
Haesung, who was walking toward Dohyeong’s waiting room with hasty steps, stopped firmly in place.
“…Choi Yuchan?”
